Absolutely!! Our last season of rec (10U), we had one sparky little girl that wasn't afraid to swing, but really struggled to get the bat on the ball. As the season progressed, she started fouling off the occasional pitch, and eventually put a few in play. In the final game - the league championship - she got her very first ever legit base hit. It was an awesome and emotional moment. She was ecstatic. 3 grown men cried.
bunting every PA
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Absolutely!! Our last season of rec (10U), we had one sparky little girl that wasn't afraid to swing, but really struggled to get the bat on the ball. As the season progressed, she started fouling off the occasional pitch, and eventually put a few in play. In the final game - the league championship - she got her very first ever legit base hit. It was an awesome and emotional moment. She was ecstatic. 3 grown men cried.
Yep. I have had those girls, too, and used the same approach.
think I will spend a little more time teaching bunting this season (barely touched it last year), and give her the option, let her do what she is most comfortable/confident with. contigent on bases not being loaded, then she has to hit away. she does swing, just does not track the ball (looking at pitcher as she swings, not ball).
- Sep 29, 2014
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You said coach pitch? What age are we talking? Should be able to get just about anyone to hit coach pitch by the end of the season and trust me I've had some hard luck cases myself
Very first thing to have parents do is get her eyes checked, it sounds silly but I can't tell you how many girls have just needed glasses.
Next I would do drill with golf sized wiffle balls (front toss). she does not have to stride or turn or anything even if they are arm only swings she needs to start making contact.
Then work on proper technique off a tee, then mix in soft toss.
Also definitely get her to have a swing at anything close, mentality, I can't tell you how many girls let that first pitch that is right down the middle go by.
Anyway good luck and remember #1 goal....have fun
Very first thing to have parents do is get her eyes checked, it sounds silly but I can't tell you how many girls have just needed glasses.
Next I would do drill with golf sized wiffle balls (front toss). she does not have to stride or turn or anything even if they are arm only swings she needs to start making contact.
Then work on proper technique off a tee, then mix in soft toss.
Also definitely get her to have a swing at anything close, mentality, I can't tell you how many girls let that first pitch that is right down the middle go by.
Anyway good luck and remember #1 goal....have fun
Teaching the girl to bunt is a valuable lesson either way. With practice she can be come your "go to person" for a much needed bunt. That should boost her confidence some. I would suggest switch her to the other side of the plate. It will be weird at first but it's a different view. She hasn't been hit on that side and she'll feel free to swing. That has worked for me several times. When she gets a hit, you'll see the world's biggest smile.
Ball-tracking drill....Have her stand in the batters box as you pitch. Her job is to watch the ball from your hand to the catcher. She is not to swing the bat, just watch the ball all the way.
Also, don't rule out the possibility if vision issues. If the ball-tracking drill is a struggle for her, talk to her parent(s) about her vision.
Another suggestion is to get some plastic practice balls and use them for front toss with her. Get her working on that swing, swinging confidently and making contact. Then when she transitions back to real balls she may have a little less fear as well as the confidence to know that she can hit if she tries.
And to paraphrase what others have said, there's no better feeling than handing her a game ball in front of her teammates after she's just gone 0 for 20 in the first 9 games and finally got her first hit on a dribbler down third that the first baseman dropped because she never gave up... and neither did you.
And to paraphrase what others have said, there's no better feeling than handing her a game ball in front of her teammates after she's just gone 0 for 20 in the first 9 games and finally got her first hit on a dribbler down third that the first baseman dropped because she never gave up... and neither did you.
hadn't thought about vision check, thanks!
we are 10u, coach pitches if 4 ball count is reached with bases loaded (ie we do not walk in runs, count continues, 3 coach pitches max), I generally pitch about 2-4 times a game.
first year where I am going to use a tee (never had one once I left tball) and wiffles (only have standard 11 and 12 inch wiffles) for soft toss.
she is not afraid to swing, I will give her that (gets a little hesitant with 2 strikes, but many do), just late and/or nowhere near the ball. That makes her one up on me at that age, I was a really poor hitter in LL, and basically become very reluctant to swing the bat, looking for BB, I think in 3 or 4 years I had maybe 2-3 hits.
we are 10u, coach pitches if 4 ball count is reached with bases loaded (ie we do not walk in runs, count continues, 3 coach pitches max), I generally pitch about 2-4 times a game.
first year where I am going to use a tee (never had one once I left tball) and wiffles (only have standard 11 and 12 inch wiffles) for soft toss.
she is not afraid to swing, I will give her that (gets a little hesitant with 2 strikes, but many do), just late and/or nowhere near the ball. That makes her one up on me at that age, I was a really poor hitter in LL, and basically become very reluctant to swing the bat, looking for BB, I think in 3 or 4 years I had maybe 2-3 hits.
- Jan 9, 2015
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I had a girl that got hurt batting. She didn't make contact for the rest of the year. The next season she was one of the best hitters on this team. I guess my point is that you shouldn't prejudge this girl based on what she did last year. Give her the opportunity to see if it clicks first before you take the bat out of her hands for the season. Some times an offseason is all it takes for a girl to grow as a player
obviously see what she is like this year, just trying to anticipate what to do in with her or similar player. Want to help them out as much as possible, and confidence is a big part of that. was thinking bunting might also help them with starting to track the ball better, not worrying about swing. that ball tracking drill might help this as well, good idea, but might be hard to implement, depends on how much help I get at practice. this real dilemma, would love to spend decent chunk of one on one time with my struggling players, but it all depends on how much help I have. at this age, they need supervision on every station.
And I love that feeling several described as well, struggling player breaking through. Last year, another girl, tiny, struggling to hit (but quick hands), the few ball she had put in play in previous games went right down first base line (she was tiny and had trouble swinging through the ball, ball would literally stop her bat). One game gets first "hit" (probably technically an E5), then later in game, gets another "hit" and it is game winning RBI to boot!. our entire side of the field went nuts, first time she put ball in play other than right down first base line . Only thing wrong was it was school night, so we could not go get ice cream (well that and it was cold) WITH jimmies!
And I love that feeling several described as well, struggling player breaking through. Last year, another girl, tiny, struggling to hit (but quick hands), the few ball she had put in play in previous games went right down first base line (she was tiny and had trouble swinging through the ball, ball would literally stop her bat). One game gets first "hit" (probably technically an E5), then later in game, gets another "hit" and it is game winning RBI to boot!. our entire side of the field went nuts, first time she put ball in play other than right down first base line . Only thing wrong was it was school night, so we could not go get ice cream (well that and it was cold) WITH jimmies!
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